as well as any upscales, downscales, clones, kitbashes or other derivative works. Even Goonies qualify!

American sounding rocket. In late 1945 James Van Allen was assigned by John Hopkins University to survey sounding rocket requirements for upper atmosphere research. The V-2 was found to be too heavy and complex. In 1946 Van Allen decided that what was needed was a small rocket, derived from the Aerojet Wac Corporal and the Bumblebee missile developed under a US Navy program. This combination of an Aerojet booster and a Bumblebee second stage was dubbed the Aerobee. Aerobees were launched for 53 m tall launch towers to provide the necessary stability until enough speed had been gained for the fins to be effective in controlling the rocket. Launch towers were built at White Sands, Fort Churchill, Wallops Island, and aboard the research ship USN Norton Sound. The Aerobee could take 68 kg to 130 km altitude.

Mfg. Description: The NCR AEROBEE HI-TEST is a scaled up version of the Model Missiles, Inc. (MMI) model rocket kit that was made famous during the late 1950's. This "grown-up" version should really light smiles on the faces of "old timers" around your flying field! (NCR 1986 Catalog)

Mfg. Description: Easy to build scale model of a great sounding rocket. Gives top performance in flight after flight. Features parachute recovery for gentle landings, payload section for small specimens. Kit is complete with all parts and easy-to-follow instructions (but no engines). (Estes 1966 Catalog)

North Coast Rocketry- Aerobee-Hi Test (BP Clustered Semi-Scale)

Another of those early 1990-91 NorthCoast Rockety (Matte Steel) HP models coverted to 3-D12 clustered BP flying was the Aerobee-Hi Test. another 2.6" dia heavy tube semi-Scale of the famous NRL research sounding rocket.

This one has special meaning for me as my parents (both mom and Dad) were directly involved with this Naval Research Lab project. While this model isn't a very close scale model, it was good enough in most respects to make them both smile.
A really decent flying model on 3 D12-5 or on still air days can go with -7's

This is semi-scale for the Aerobee-Hi. I built a booster too. I'm not sure if the combination would be stable, or if it would even be stable as a single stage, but I never intended to fly it anyway. The toughest styling element of the Aerobee is the very long nose cone. In the old days Estes made a rubber nose cone that was long enough, and they made a parallel wound tube thicker than their other tubes that this cone fit, called the BT30. I inherited a cone and BT30 from my brother in law and built the rocket to match. These parts probably date back almost to 1960.

This is semi-scale for the Aerobee-Hi. I built a booster too. I'm not sure if the combination would be stable, or if it would even be stable as a single stage, but I never intended to fly it anyway. The toughest styling element of the Aerobee is the very long nose cone. In the old days Estes made a rubber nose cone that was long enough, and they made a parallel wound tube thicker than their other tubes that this cone fit, called the BT30. I inherited a cone and BT30 from my brother in law and built the rocket to match. These parts probably date back almost to 1960.

In the old days, these were the parts of the original Model Missiles Incorporated Aerobee-Hi kit, the first model rocket kit ever manufactured. When MMI went out of biz, Vern Estes bought the parts -- or maybe they still owed him for making motors for them -- and sold them as BT-40. BT-30 was a slightly smaller tube that Vern started his kit biz with. His wife Gleda rolled the initial batches herself.

So you've got a slightly valuable rocket there. Original MMI kits go for $300-400 today! Yours would be a worth a lot less than that, since it is built, and wasn't built from a kit, but a lot of people would hate to hear that you flew it and lost it.

This is semi-scale for the Aerobee-Hi. I built a booster too. I'm not sure if the combination would be stable, or if it would even be stable as a single stage, but I never intended to fly it anyway. The toughest styling element of the Aerobee is the very long nose cone. In the old days Estes made a rubber nose cone that was long enough, and they made a parallel wound tube thicker than their other tubes that this cone fit, called the BT30. I inherited a cone and BT30 from my brother in law and built the rocket to match. These parts probably date back almost to 1960.

1/14th semi-Scale Semroc/MMI Retro kit from Naram-50

A very nicely done re-issue of G. Harry Stines MMI Aerobee-Hi kit was one of the special products sold at Naram-50.
Makes a very nice flying "Days of OLD" replica of an important model (and Real Vehicle) from the Beginning of both Model and Real rocketry

I was lucky enough to get the beta test model. But then 'life' took over.

The booster required a slight redesign to alter the weight, so that it woudl tumble. Glide more like... The original came in ballistic & core sampled! the CAD dwg shows the motor moved rearward.. (Rockets in CAD are soo much fun!!)

I've flown it a few times..

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-paul

NAR# 101258 - L1www.CRMRC.org
I don't know the same things you don't know..